Sunday, March 20, 2011

Celebrating the Spring Equinox! What to Wear to a Fertility Ritual

The Spring Equinox is one of those times of year when, upon receiving a last minute invite to a fertility ritual, you dive into the darkest depths of your closet in a slightly panicked state, hoping to somehow emerge with the perfect outfit. It is precisely these times when years of impulse thrift store buys have their moments of glory. Madly clutching __________ (in my case, sheer floor length glitter-printed slip) over your head in victory, you vaguely recall two years ago insisting on the nonsensical purchase with the assertion that SOMEDAY, someday, you will say to yourself, "I am so glad I bought this."

That is precisely the feeling I had when Holly suggested that we do a Spring Equinox post, and I recalled these hand-painted wooden eggs that I picked up last summer thrifting in Milwaukee. When purchasing these eggs, somewhere deep down, I KNEW, I simply knew, that someday I would do an Oestral-themed blog post, and they would be the perfect lead in.

If there is one Equinox tradition that cannot be foregone, it is the painting of eggs. It is by the ritual of adornment of these symbols of all earthly fertility that we imbue them with magic to supply the coming season with fruitfulness and goodness.

And what better magic-egg-painting outfit could you hope for than this hand embroidered tunic that I picked up for the equivalent of $5 in St. Petersburg, Russia, a few summers ago. Nothing says Eastern European-peasant-pagan-holiday much more than this.

This next piece is for the feast. Another Equinox tradition is the offering and planting of flowers and plants, making luscious floral prints the perfect attire. I have never had an opportunity to wear this dress because I feel as though it most often reads as being "too costume-y". But who is really going to have the guts to through a "too costume-y" stone at an Equinox feast? I think not.

I so love this print, all peach watercolor roses.

Why not pile those florals on, for extra effect? How about this gorgeous tulip printed silk scarf.

As per my reference above, next up is this sheer floor length gold glitter printed slip, for the after dark festivities.

Who needs undergarments at a fertility ritual? Just you and a little see-through glitter action, to promise that you will get plenty of action.

The glitter didn't read very well in the larger picture, so here is some detail. SOOOO PRETTY. It will just make you sparkle in the starlight like a real moon goddess.

In case you get cold at the bonfire, you can throw on this crocheted gold mesh cardigan, whose web-like design mimics the shape of the universe itself.

There you go! All phases of your Spring Equinox festivities are covered!